Motor-vehicle frame.



A. W. MEDHURST. MOTOR VEHICLE FRAME. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 4, 1914.l

Patented Feb. 1.6, w15. Il PU.

l CAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, JA CDRYORATION OF MICHIGAN.

MOTOlRfVEI-IICLE FRAME.

iaaaaea.

peciica'tion of nLettersiatent.

FatentedFeb. f6, fhtw.

To all whom it may concern.: l Be it known that I, ARTHUR W. MED- HURsT, a subject of the 'King of Great Britain and Ireland, residin at Detroit, in -the a county of Wayne `and tate of Michigan,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements -i'n Motor-Vehicle Frames, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein nto the accompany- 1L@ ing drawings. A

The invention relates to motor vehicle frames Aof that type in which ythe motor is carried by a sub-frame having parallel -lon- ,gitudinal bars, which are arranged intermediatethe side sills of the main vehicle frame.

It is one of the objects of the invention t0 utilize this sub-frame in conjunction with one of the side sills of the main frame for the mounting of control mechanism for the vehicle, such for instance as the brake pedals.

It is a further object to make provision for'the weaving or twisting of the vehicle frame without the exertion of any detrimental stress upon the control mechanism.

In thedrawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the vehicle frame; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; and Fig. 3 is a cross section.

A is one of the side sills of the motor vehicle frame, B and B are cross bars of the frame and C are the side bars of the subframe on which the motor is supported. These side bars are preferably supported at their opposite ends by' the cross bars B and B and are arranged so as to leave a space D between'the same and the adjacent sill of the main frame. The control mechanism which is mounted upon this frame is preferably of a type in which there are duplicate forward and rear pedals which are controlled respectively from front and rear seats. These pedals are mounted 'upon shafts extending transversely between the bars A and B and mounted in bearings thereon. Thus, as shown, the shaft Eextends between said bars to form the mounting for the forward pedals, and the shaft F 50 forms a similar mounting for the rear pedals. In use, the main frame of the vehicle is subjected to various stresses from which the sub-frame is relieved. Thus there is the 55 weaving due to the passing` of the vehicle o ver an uneven road bed, and also the torsional stress upon the side sill due to the load on the running board, such as G, which 1s supported from the side sill by hangers H. These stresses are sufficient to throw any parallel bearing on the side sill which might 4'be used for supporting the shaft F, out of alinement with the complementary bearing upon the bar C, which would result in springing the shaft and interfering with the operation of the pedals. To avoid this result, the shaft F is journaled in a member I, which at one end is secured by bolts I to the bar C, while its opposite end extends into proximity to the side sill A. 'This member I has depending bearing lugs J in which the pedal shaft F is journaled, and the rigidity of the member is sufficient to hold said bearings in alinement. To attach the member I to the bar A so as to permit twisting or weaving of the latter under road stress or load upon the foot board G, a universal pivotal connection is provided. This comprises a bolt K which has a spherical head L engageable with a cylindrical recess M in the .member I. The bolt is clamped to the web of the sill, and a slotted spacer P is inserted between said web and the spherical head to hold the latter in engagement with the recess. Thus when the 'side sill is twisted the universal joint will relieve the member I from stress, while at the same time the engagement between the bolt K and the member I will hold the latter against deflection by stresses, due to the operation of the pedals.

A plurality of pedals, such as M M, etc., may be mounted upon the shaft F and corresponding pedals N N', etc., are mounted on the shaft E. The stresses upon' the frame adjacent to the latter shaft are not, however,

.as great as at the point adjacent to the shaft -F, and consequently it is merely necessary to provide a slight axial movement of the shaft bearings in relation to each other.

Thus the pedals N and N may be yieldably spaced from each. other by the insertionof a spring O sleeved upon the shaft E, so that each pedal is held adjacent to its bearing and is permitted to move axially with respect to the other pedal.

What I claimas my invention is z- 1. In a motor vehicle, the combination with the side sills, of a motor-supporting frame intermediate said side sills. includingV a longitudinally-extending bar, a shaft extending across the space between said side sills and longitudinally extending bar, a supporting bearing for said shaft rigidly attached to said bar, and a universal pivotal connection between the opposite end of said bearing and the side sill permitting inde-4 pendent-.weaving thereof. y

2. In a motorrvehicle, the combination with the side sills, of a motor-supporting frame intermediate said side sills including a longitudinally-extending bar, a shaft eX- tending across the space between said oar and side sill, a bearing for supporting said shaft connected at one end to said bar, and a bolut'connected to said side sill having a spherical head engaging a socket in the opposite end of said bearing and forming a universal pivotalconnection thereto.

3. In a motor vehicle, the combination with the side sills, of a motor-supporting frame including a vlongitudinally-extendin -bar intermediate said side sills, forward an ARTHUR W. MEDHURST.

Witnesses:

JAMES P. BARRY, HENRIETrA E.` BOWMAN. 

